While a plethora of bilateral issues cropped up during the meeting, the focus was on the US desire for Indian troops for Iraq. Singh, though, remained non-committal about sending Indian soldiers to the war torn country.

"We discussed the full range of bilateral and regional issues. But I would just say the most important issue we touched on was the fact that the United States and India have a very good, strong relationship right now and we intend to not only keep it strong but to build on that relationship, to move forward," Powell said after a 60-minute meeting at the State Department on Thursday.

Singh, for his part, said, "We had a very frank, wide-ranging, lively, occasionally amusing discussion on every single aspect of our relationship. I have also informed him about the change of government in India and that we intend to continue the policies that we have followed for 57 years."

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